Broken Roads is a film that comes along every 5 years that can't be seen from beginning to end in one sitting because it is so ridiculously bad that you can't help but skip through it and watch it in segments.
I don't mind watching bad movies, especially when they are entertaining - however Broken Roads doesn't allow us the benefit of enjoyment because it's just that bad.
The acting from the majority of the cast is awful and weak at best. The only decent performances came from superficial secondary characters and Shoshana Bush, but despite their best efforts to elevate the material, the script is too muddled and unfocused to display what they are capable of if given a good script. The biggest disappointment, of course, comes from the work by Sally Kirkland, considering she is the only one from the cast with a name and credentials. She is overly dramatic and sappy that every word she says is wooden and dull. However, as bad as her performance is, it is Oscar worthy in comparison to the male lead, Aidan Bristow - who is constantly yelling throughout the movie for no reason except at an attempt to be a "Good" actor, because "All good actors yell and cry." in a movie.
The direction of the film handled by Justin Chambers is unfocused and confused and extremely heavy. His attempts to make a "good" movie fall short because instead of letting the material speak for itself he tries hard to be dramatic - nothing is organic or earned, it's constantly forced, everything in this movie is forced at the audience.
The story is incredibly predictable with no conflict. You kind of sit there most of the time asking yourself, "what's the point of all this?"
Now there are bad films and there are terrible films. A bad film would be any movie that's so bad it's good where as a terrible film would be any movie that's just not good at all and simply bad. Broken Roads is a fine example of a Bad Script + Bad Acting + Unfocused Directing = Bad Movie. I read a few reviews praising the cinematography of the picture, however even the cinematography was amateur at best with the exception of one shot that actually looked professional.
The proof is in the pudding so approach this film with caution if you choose to see it for yourself. But if I were you and I'd say SKIP IT. Everything about this film is broken and beyond repair.
